Fall hunting seasons begin this month! Prepare to head into the wild with the latest regulations and season dates.



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Goose hunter with dog in boat

September 2025 hunting and trapping opportunities

September is the official start to many of Michigan's hunting seasons. Get ready for a great fall in the fields and forests or on the water.


* Small game opener Sept. 15 [ #link_1 ]
* GEMS: A jewel for grouse and woodcock hunting [ #link_8 ]
* Waterfowl hunting [ #link_3 ]
* Deer hunting [ #link_4 ]
* Fall turkey hunting [ #link_7 ]
* Coming soon: Fur harvesting seasons [ #link_6 ]
* Hunting regulations on your phone [ #link_9 ]
* Tree stand safety reminders [ #link_5 ]
* Questions? Contact us [ #link_2 ]

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American Woodcock
Small game opener Sept. 15

Small game seasons open statewide Sept. 15 for the following species:


* Cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare.
* Fox and gray squirrels (black phase included).
* Ruffed grouse.
* Woodcock
* All woodcock hunters must get a free woodcock stamp, which includes registration with the federal Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP).

Season dates, bag limits and small game hunting regulations are available in the 2025 Michigan Hunting Regulations Summary [ [link removed] ] and at Michigan.gov/SmallGame [ [link removed] ].

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Ruffed grouse
GEMS: A jewel for grouse and woodcock hunting

Michigan is home to some of the best upland game bird hunting in the country. The Grouse Enhanced Management Sites – or GEMS – are swaths of public hunting land across the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula that are managed for prime grouse and woodcock hunting. You'll want to plan your fall hunting season around these destination habitats featuring thick aspen stands, young forests and hunter walking paths.

View map of GEMS grouse hunting sites ► [ [link removed] ]

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Blue-winged teal drake
Waterfowl hunting

Waterfowl hunting kicks off this month. Visit one of Michigan's managed waterfowl hunt areas [ [link removed] ] for exceptional opportunities at these annual stopovers for migratory birds.

*Statewide*

* Early teal season is Sept. 1-9.
* Common gallinule, Virginia rail, sora rail and Wilson's snipe season opens Sept. 1.

*North Zone*

* Duck, coot and merganser season opens Sept. 27.
* Goose season opened Sept. 1.

*Middle, South, and Allegan GMU*

* Goose season opened Sept. 1.

Waterfowl hunting information is available in the 2025 Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Regulations Summary [ [link removed] ] and at Michigan.gov/Waterfowl [ [link removed] ].

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White-tailed deer late summer NFWS
Deer hunting

Deer hunting begins with the Liberty Hunt and early antlerless firearm season.

Deer hunting season dates, regulations and more are available in the 2025 Hunting Regulations Summary [ [link removed] ], available at Michigan.gov/Deer [ [link removed] ].

*Liberty Hunt: Sept. 13-14 – o*pen to youth and hunters with disabilities

* Statewide on public and private lands.
* Liberty Hunt information begins on page 6 of the Hunting Regulations Summary.
* Information for hunters with disabilities begins on page 21 of the Hunting Regulations Summary.

*Early antlerless firearm: Sept. 20-21*

* Antlerless deer only.
* Open on public and private lands in Lower Peninsula DMUs (excluding 115, 145, 174 and 245).
* See page 9 of the Hunting Regulations Summary.

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wild turkeys in field
Fall turkey hunting

Fall turkey hunting starts Sept. 15.

There is no longer a drawing for fall turkey licenses. You can purchase one fall turkey license per year, valid for one bird of either sex on public and private lands within the designated fall turkey management unit.

You can purchase a license over the counter from any license agent [ [link removed] ], online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses [ [link removed] ] or through the DNR Hunt Fish app [ [link removed] ]. Hunters who purchase a fall turkey license through the DNR Hunt Fish app will receive a digital eHarvest tag on their mobile device immediately.

Find more information at Michigan.gov/Turkey [ [link removed] ].

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Bobcat
Coming soon: Fur harvesting seasons

Fall marks the start of the furbearer hunting and trapping seasons. Get your fur harvesting license now and be ready when coyote, beaver, fox and other furbearer hunting and trapping seasons open in your area.

Find information on fur harvesting regulations, bag limits and seasons in the 2025 Furbearer Harvest Regulations Summary [ [link removed] ], available at Michigan.gov/Trapping [ [link removed] ].

Licenses and kill tags

* 2025 fur harvester licenses are valid May 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026.
* Bobcat kill tags are only available through *Oct. 31, 2025*.
* Kill tags are available through the last day of the trapping season for fisher, marten and otter.
* Residents with a fur harvester license who intend to harvest bobcat, otter, fisher or marten must request free kill tags for these species.

You can purchase your fur harvester license and request kill tags online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses [ [link removed] ] or anywhere DNR licenses are sold.

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Hunting regulations on your phone

The free Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app [ [link removed] ] offers a convenient way for hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to:


* Buy hunting and fishing licenses and trail permits.
* Report deer or fish harvests.
* Look up hunting and trapping regulations.
* Find their license history, including point and chance balances.
* Check out maps with multiple layers, showing features such as shooting ranges and boat launches.
* Get timely notifications from the DNR.

The Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app is available:


* On the App Store [ [link removed] ]for Apple devices.
* On the Google Play store [ [link removed] ] for Android devices.

If you have any questions about the app, call the DNR licensing customer service staff at 517-284-6057 during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Tree stand safety reminders

September is National Tree Stand Safety month [ [link removed] ] and it's the perfect time to brush up on what you need to know about hunting from a tree. A few things to remember: 


* Always maintain three points of contact (one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot) when climbing up to or down from the stand.
* Wear a full-body harness that is properly attached above your head.
* Ensure your tree stand is securely attached and stable before using it.
* Use a haul line to get your hunting gear to and from the stand.

Watch this short tree stand safety video [ [link removed] ] for more tips.

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Questions? Contact us

Contact the DNR Wildlife Division <[email protected]> at 517-284-9453.











"Learn more: Michigan.gov/Hunting [ [link removed] ]"


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